Valve mechanism for engines for compressing air or gases.



No. 679,955. Patented Mg.r s, |901.

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VALVE MECHANISM FUR ENGINES FUR COMPRESSING AIR AND GASES.

(Application led Jan. 21, 1901.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Aug. 6, 190|.

z. w. nAw. VALVE MECHANISM FOR ENGINES FOR COMPRESSIHG AIR AND GASES.

(Applictiqn filer?. Jan. 21, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

` (No Model.)

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Nu. 679,955. Patiented Aug. s. |901.

` z. w. nAw. VAI- VE HECHAMSM FOB ENGINES FR MPRESSING Am AND GASES.

(Application med Jan. 21, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Shout 3.

(No Model.)

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No. 679,955. Patented Aug. 6. |90l.

Z.l W. DAW.

VALVE MECHANSM FOB ENGINES FOB COMPRESSING AIR AND GASES.

(Application Bled Jan. 21, 1901.)

5 Sheets--Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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No. 679,955. Patented Aug. 6, |90I.-V

` z w; DAW. l VALVE MECHANISM FOR ENGINES FOB BOMPBESSING AIR AND GASES.

' (Application filed Jan. 2].,` 1,901.) i 5 Sheets-#Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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air-mams 57ans co. PHOTO-Luna. wAsmN'roN. n. c..

Nrrnn STATESA lPATENT OFFICE.

`ZACIIARIAVSWILLIAMS DAW, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

VALVE MECHA'NISM FOR ENGINESTR COMPRESSlNG AIR OR GASES.

SPEGIFIATION forming' part 0f Letters Patent No. 679,955, dated August 6, 1901.

Application filed January 21,1901.l Serial No. 44,160. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, ZACHARIAS WILLIAMS DAW, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Mansion House Chambers, 1l Queen Victoria street, London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Valve Mechanism Especially Suit'- able for Engines for Compressing Air and Gases, (for which I have made application for Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 11,762,' i

provided, one at each end of the compressingcylinder in which the piston works and which cylinder is closed at both ends, while in applying the invention to a single-acting engine the cylinder is open at one end and the inlet and delivery valves are fitted 'to the cover of the closed end only.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal section through one end of a double-acting air compressor or blower con` structed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar section through the other end thereof and shows a portion of the motor by which the compressing-piston is actuated. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through part of the compression-cylinder with the mechanism connected to the deliveryfvalve in plan.` Fig. 4 is a plan View of the compression-cylinder and mechanism connected with the inletvalve. Fig. 5 is an elevation of one end of the compressor or blower. Fig. 6 is a similar I will now proceed to describe the construc- `tion and arrangement of the valve mechanism in the compressing-cylinder which regulates the inlet and delivery on one stroke of the piston, it being understood that (as will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2) the opposite end (when same is employed) is identical and operates to regulate the inlet and delivery on the other stroke of such piston. Taking first the delivery-valve 1, this is `arranged to open outward in relation to the `cylinder 2 and is inclosed in a casing 3 in open communication through pipe 4 with the receiver, the pressure in which consequently is always exerted on the back of such valve. lThis valve, which is pivoted at 5, is connected by a link 6 to a piston 7, working in a small `cylinder 8, the inner end of which opens into the casing 3, inclosing the valve 1, suchpiston being mounted on a spindle 9, extending ,backward and workingthrough a stuffingvbox 10 in the cover of such cylinder 8.

Y gradually from the rear of same through the small aperture 1l therein, thereby causing this piston to act as a dash-pot or buffer and prevent the jarring of the mechanism and too-violent opening ofthe valve 1. The spindle 9, passing through the stuffing-box 10,

carries a second piston 12, working in a cyl-` inder 13, for the purpose hereinafter described, and the continuation of the spindle from this second piston is surrounded by a `spring 14, tending to close the valve l, which it does when the compression-piston 15 has completedits stroke. The rear end of the spindle 9 also works in a cylinder 16, which is permanently open to the receiver through a small pipe, as shown at 17, the pressure on rwhich therefore constantly acts upon same,

- the receiver.

of the spindle. The rear end of the spindle 9 can also be arranged when desired to act as a buffer on its backward movement to further prevent the too-violent 'opening of the valvel. rlhe second piston 12, above referred io, works in a cylinder 13, open at its rear end and communicating at its closed end through pipe 18 with the compression-cylinder 2 at a a point 19 near the rear end of the latter, so that as the compression-piston 15 makes its elective stroke air will be forced from the compression-cylinder 2 into the small cylinder 13, acting on the piston 12 and filling the space between the closed end ofthe cylinder 13 and the piston 12 when the delivery-valve 1 has been opened. The area of this piston 12 is calculated so that the pressure thereon' pOsite sides of the delivery-valve 1 up tothe time when the latter begins to open, and

thus avoids any great difference of pressure in the compression-cylinder 2 'above thatin Further, this piston 12 after the delivery-valve 1 has been opened serves to keep such valve 1 open until the com-l i has been expelled, when on the compressionpiston 15 completing its stroke such compression-piston will `have passed the opening 19 in its cylinder .2, which communicates with the small cylinder 13, so that the air behind the piston 12, working in the latter, is allowed to pass back into the compression-cylinder 2, behind the compression-piston 15, thereby releasing the deliver \'valve land allowing of its being closed by the spring 14. The comin u nication 18 between these two cylinders 2 and 13 is small, and, further, the size of the opening of such communication into the small cylinder 13 is capable of adjustment so as to regulate at will the backward travel of the air into the com pression-cylinder 2, and thereby prevent the too-violent closing of the valve 1. Any suitablemeans may be employed for regulating the size of such opening, one arrangement being illustrated in Fig. 7, where, as will be seen, the stein 20-of a screw-down valve 21 is provided at its lower end with a conical plug 22, entering a correspondingly-shaped seat in the valve-casing andwhich seat opensfinto the cylinder 13. As before stated, the delivery-valve l at .the

other end ofthe com pression-cylinder 2 (when and a spindle 28, projecting backward from this piston 26, carries another piston 29,working in a cylinder 30, while the spring 24, surrounding the spindle 28, tends to close the valve 23. Air can enter behind the'piston 2,6, above referred to, through a small orilce 31, and as the inlet-valve closes after Ahaving opened to admit air to the compression-cyl- 'inder 2 such air behind the small piston 26 has to be gradually forced out through this orifice, and so causes said piston to act as a dash-pot or buffer against the action of the spring 24 and the weight of the valve 23 and any pressure acting thereon tending to close it, thus preventing the inlet-valves closing violently. The outer end ot' cylinder 30, in which the piston 29 on the spindle 28 works, has a small passage or pipe 32 communicating with a valve-chest 33, in which works a slide or other suitable valve 34 and which chest is placed in permanent communication with the air-receiver by means of pipe 35. When the inlet-valve 23 is open, the slide-valve 34: puts the communication 32 between the chest 33 and the cylinder 30, in which the second piston 29 on the spindle 28 works, open to the communication 35 between the formerK and the receiver, so that the pressure-in the latter consequently acts upon the` end of such second piston 29 on the spindle, while when the inletvalve 23 closesthe slide-valve 34 puts the communication 32 between such chest 33 and cylinder 30 open to exhaust to the atmosphere through opening 37, so that the backward movement of the spindle 28, as the inlet-valve 23 closes, `forces. the air behind the second piston 29 on same out through the smalloril'ice, the size of which can be adjusted by any suitable means-such as a valve 21*, as previously describe-d in connection with the deliveryvalve 1 and as illustrated in detail in Fig. -so as to regulate the exit of such air. This second piston 29 on the spindle 28 thus further acts as a dash-pot or buffer. When the pressure is on the rear ofthe second piston 29, it serves to overcome the action of the spring 24 thereon and the weight of the valve 23, so as to maintain the latter in its open position after it has been opened and during the full length 'of the backward or suction stroke of the compression-piston vl5.

The slide 3 4 can be actuated mechanically by any suitable means (such as a cam or its equivalent) operated in any convenient'manner from any part ofthe machine. I, however, inthe case of a double-acting compressor prefer to employ the following arrangement: Near each end of the compression-cylinder 2 two small openings 38 and 39 are formed, one, 38, being behindthe other, 39. These openings at each end communicate, respectively, with the opposite ends of small cylinders 40, within which work pistons 41, carried by a "spindle-42, on which the slide-valves 34 (one for the inlet-valve 23 at each end) are mounted. As the compressionpiston 15 moves toward the inlet-valve 23 at IOO IIO

Cal

at reduced pressure, through the inlet-valvev 23 of the opposite end of the compressioncylinder 2 being open, when the other side of the piston 4l in the small cylinder 40 being exposed to the full pressure of the air under compression reversesthe slide-valves 34. The return ,movement of the compression-piston l5 will place the openings 39 and 33 referred to in succession in communica-` tion with the reduced pressure behind it and at the same time force air through the openings at the other end of the compression-cyl- 4 I inder 2 and cause it to act on the piston 4l in the small cylinder 40 at that end and so reverse the slide-valves 34 again in the manner above described.

It is preferable to form the spindle 42, on which the pistons 4l are carried and by which the simultaneous operation ofthe slide-valves 34 at both ends of the compression-cylinder 2 is insured, intwo parts, which may be secured together by a sleeve 43 and pins 44, as shown clearly in Fig. l. r

It will be readily understood that the movement imparted to the spindle 42 bythe means above described instead of being utilized to actuate the slide-valve 34 might be employed in any other suitable manner for the purpose of opening the inlet-valve 23.

In order to avoid overheating of the compression-cylinder 2, I may provide same with a Water-jacket 45.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination of a com pression-.cylinder, a delivery-valve opening outward therefrom and having its rear face exposed to theV pressure in the receiver, a cylinder open` at its inner end to the pressure in the receiver, a spindle provided with a piston on its inner end adapted to Work; in said cylinder, means connecting said piston with said valve, a spring for closing said valve, and means for balancing the differences in the pressures on the opposite sides of the delivery-valve up to the time the valve beginsto open, to avoid great differences in the compression-cylinder over that in the receiver.

2. The combination of a compression-cylinder, a delivery-valve opening outward therefrom and having its rear face exposed to the pressure in the receiver, a cylinder open at 4connecting said piston with said valve, a

ff c3 spring for closing said valve, and a cylinder open at its outer end tothe atmosphere, ,a piston disposed on said spindle, and workingin said cylinder, and means for connecting the inner end of said cylinder with the compression-cylinder whereby the differences in the pressures onl the opposite sides of said delivery-valve are balanced.

3. The combination of a compression-cylinder, a deliveryvalve therefor, a cylinder closed at one end, a spindle connected with said valve and having a piston working in said cylinder, said piston having a passage connecting the cylinder with the receiver, whereby the piston acts as a dash-pot to cushion the opening and closing of said valve, and means connected with said spindle for balancing the differences in pressures onthe opposite sides of the delivery-valve. i"

4. The combination of a compression-cylinder, a delivery-valve therefor, mechanism for closing said valve, and means for balancingv the differences in pressures on the opposite sides of the valve up to the time the valve begins to open.

5. The combination of a compression-cylin-` der, a delivery-valve therefor, a spindle connected to said valve, a spring on said spindle to close said valve, a cylinder having its inner end open to the pressure in the receiver, a piston disposed on said spindle and working in said cylinder, said piston being provided with a small passage to allow the air to pass from one side thereof tothe other, a cylinder open at its outer end to the atmosphere and having its inner end in communication With the compression-cylinder, a second piston disposed on said spindle and Working in said open-endcylinder, a cylinder havingits outer end in communication with'the receiver, a piston on the end of said spindle Working in said cylinder, and means connecting said cylinder with the receiver.

6. The combination of a compression-cylinder, an inlet-valve therefor, a spindle provided with pistons on its opposite ends, means for connecting said valve to one of said pistons, cylinders disposed at opposite ends of said spindle in which said pistons work, a spring disposed on said spindle between said cylinders and adapted to close said inlet-` valve, a valve-chest, means connecting the outer cylinder with said chest, means connecting said chest with the receiver, and

means for connecting said cylinder with the receiver or with theatmosphere.

7. Thecombinationof a'compression-cylinder, an inlet-valve opening inward to the com pression-cylinder, a cylinder open at both ends to the atmosphere, a piston Working in said cylinder, means for connecting said piston to said valve, a spindle connected to said piston and provided with a spring for closing said-valve, a cylinder disposed at the outer end of said spindle, a piston disposed on the end of said spindle and Working in said cylinder, and means for connecting said cylin` IOO IIO

8. The combination of acompression-cylinder, an inlet-valve opening inward to the4 compression-cylinder, a cylinder open at both ends to the atmosphere, a piston working in said cylinder, means for connecting said piston to said valve, a spindle connected to said piston and provided with a spring for closing said valve, a cylinder disposed at the outer end of said spindle, a piston disposed on the end of said spindle and working in said cylinder, a valve-chest having passages leading to the receiver and to the atmosphere respectively, a valve adapted to uncover said passages alternately, and a pipe connecting said valve-chest with the cylinder disposed on the outer end of the spindle whereby said piston acts as a buffer on the opening and closing of the inlet-valve.

9. The combination of a receiver, a compression-cylinderhavingan inlet-valve,mech

anism for closing 'said inlet-valve, a valvechest having passages communicating with the receiver and the atmosphere, a slidevalve mounted on a spindle and working in said valve-chest, said valve being adapted to open communication with the receiver and the atmosphere alternately, a cylinder disposed adjacent to said valve-chest and hav-l ing passages at its opposite ends communieating with said compression-cylinder, and a piston mounted on said valve-spindle and working in said cylinder the movement of said piston being controlled by the travel of the compression-cylinder piston whereby the slide-valve is actuated.

' l0. The combination of a compression-cylinder, an inlet-valve therefor, cylinders disposed at opposite ends of said compressioncylinder, each cylinder being connected by two separate passages with the compressioncylinder at points one behind the other, a spindle'provided with pistons adapted to work in said cylinders, mechanism for actuating said inlet-valve, and means.for transmitting4 

